Its cherry season – time for cherry creativity in the kitchen! This week’s Spicy Tuesday is all about using cherries in a way you may not of thought of before now: in a salad dressing full of the rich taste of red cherries and the tang of balsamic vinegar. Marjoram, an herb that is oregano’s sweeter cousin adds a slight herbal twist to the salad as well as a pretty green pop of color..

Marjoram has potential health benefits! Simply adding 2 Tablespoons to a dish makes it a powerhouse. It contains Vitamin A, C, Calcium and Iron. In fact, it is also one of the richest herbal sources of Vitamin K. There are also digestive benefits in drinking marjoram tea.  Certain chemical compounds that are anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial are found in marjoram when you eat or drink the herb.

Cherry Balsamic Dressing Topped Romaine Wedges

• 1 Romaine Head, sliced into quarters lengthwise
• 1 Green Onion Sliced Thinly
• 1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Toasted Almonds
• 1 Cup Chopped Cherries
• 1 Recipe *Cherry Balsamic Dressing
• 2 TB Freshly Chopped Marjoram
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cherries for Garnish

Place the romaine quarters on 4 plates and top with the onion, cheese, almonds and cherries. Drizzle dressing over the lettuce and garnish with the marjoram and remaining chopped cherries.

*Cherry Balsamic Dressing

• 2 Cups Pitted Cherries
• 1 Small Shallot
• 1/2 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice and Zest of 2 Oranges
• 3 TB Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Tsp Each Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.